Completed Re-Entry Process Opens Speculation for Fire in 2013

With the 2012 MLS Re-Entry process complete, a few things about the Fire’s 2013 roster are a bit clearer...

Having spent a season and a half in Chicago, defender Dan Gargan was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the first round of the Stage Two Re-Entry process Friday afternoon.

Shortly after joining the Fire via trade from Toronto in July 2011, Gargan won the starting job at right back and would hold it for the first half of the season before Jalil Anibaba (right) began to see time there in late July.

Though not a starter at the end, Gargan became the team’s utility defender and still appeared in a number of games down the stretch. In all, Gargan appeared in 31 regular season matches for the Fire.

In terms of right backs at the moment, Anibaba remains the incumbent with captain Logan Pause able to deputize there if needed.

After a bright start at the position in 2010, Steven Kinney remains with the club heading into 2013 and if his health stays consistent could challenge for time at right back along with converted defender Tony Walls who appeared there in both friendlies this year and the U.S. Open Cup loss to Michigan in May.

With Frank Klopas and his technical staff having just returned from a trip to Argentina, following their visit to Europe last month, right back could have been a spot the delegation was looking to fill.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Jay Nolly passed through both stages of Re-Entry and is now a bonafide free agent in MLS. Brought in via trade from Vancouver last December, Nolly was expected to be the veteran backup, filling in for Sean Johnson while he was away with the U.S. Olympic team.

Leading up to the season though, Nolly was usurped by Italian ‘keeper Paolo Tornaghi (right), who started the team’s first three games while Johnson was away for Olympic qualifying.

With the U.S. U-23s failing to make it to the London games, Nolly failed to make a competitive appearance for the Fire as Johnson started the remainder of the team’s 31 regular season matches.

With Tornaghi set to return as the team’s back-up behind Johnson in 2013, it seems a good bet that the Fire will look to bring in a younger goalkeeper to fill out the third spot at the position.

Up next: The 2013 MLS SuperDraft set for Thursday, January 17 in Indianapolis.